Top Five Phoenix Arts and Culture Stories of the Week

If Bob Ross were alive today, he'd be painting happy little trees all over the place in ecstatic fervor for all the arts and culture happenings in Phoenix. To help you see the forest for the trees, here's a recap of the top arts and culture stories of the week.

Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row's third annual Pie Social will feature a new twist in this year's event -- not only can you enjoy the delicious culinary creations from celebrity and local chefs, but you will also have the chance to play a game or two of the timeless lawn game, croquet.

We're in the thick of the Halloween season, and whether or not you have a costume planned or a few big bowls of candy ready for distribution, now's the time to head to a few haunted houses around the Valley that are guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping.

Phoenix is home to a dozen haunted houses, but since not all of them are great and ticket prices aren't cheap, we've compiled a few of our favorites.

Following the not-so-fashionable failures of Urban Outfitters, Paul Frank, and Hello Kitty, clothing retailer GAP pulled a T-shirt from its website this week after it sparked a public outcry from countless Native American communities.

The shirt was created by American designer Mark McNairy for an exclusive Gap men's line by "GQ's best new designers." The navy tee was a basic cut with two words across the chest: "Manifest Destiny."

The origins of the term "Manifest Destiny" are rooted in a 19th century belief that the U.S. was destined to conquer the world. And while the phrase has different meanings to different groups. It was used by Americans as a call to revive the Old World, as a reason to expand the U.S. territory past the Louisiana border, and as reason to go to war with Mexico in the 1840s. And according to U.S. historians, the term and the belief was also used to justify the genocide of thousands of Native Americans.

When British dance club impresario Joe Fournier first visited Scottsdale in 2007, he instantly fell in love with the city and its nightlife.

"I was fascinated with the Scottsdale, with its contrast of old and new," he says. "I had one of the best nights of my life here and kept coming back."

The 29-year-old London native became so twitterpated with Scottsdale that he decided to give the city one of its flashiest nightspots ever, the newly opened EPIQ.

Fournier recently held the soft opening of the ultra-glitzy danceteria and libations haven, which is located in the Saddlebag Trail property that formerly housed Pussycat Lounge and - quite frankly - is one of the most unique-looking nightlife establishments in Old Town, if not the entire Valley.

Somebody said recently that vintage is the new black. Well Phoenix vintage hounds, you're in luck. Our city has vintage shops for just about any collectible -- from antique books to vintage clothes, garden tools to Christmas decorations.